478 



MEMOIR OF DANIEL TREADWELL. 



pecuniary loss, and against great discouragements. All this is well known to most of the officers 

 of the ordnance of both services of the United States. It seems to me now, however, that if your 

 Department will accord to me a contract or order for a number of guns such as are now con- 

 stantly ordered from others, who are pursuing their business under the light which they have 

 borrowed from my inventions, I may be put in the way of attaining my long-sought end, and 

 without any extra expense or risk from experiment to the Government, put it in possession of 

 better guns than are attainable by any other means. I therefore solicit an order for the three 

 following kinds of guns : 



1st. For 50 of 7f inches' calibre, to weigh say 9,000 pounds, and carry a rifled ball of 100 

 pounds. The guns to be covered for the space of 2£ feet between the breech and trunnions by 

 wrought-iron hoops, or rings, " put on under great strain," in the manner invented by me, and 

 since followed in England by Captain Blakely and in this country by Captain Parrott. The 

 price of these guns to be eighteen cents a pound. 



2d. For 30 of 9 inches' calibre, to weigh say 16,500 pounds, to carry a rifled ball of 184 

 pounds. To be hooped from the breech to one foot in front of the trunnions in two layers. The 

 hoops to be put on as the above, and also secured to the gun and to each other by screw threads, 

 as described in my patent. The trunnions to be formed upon one of the hoops. The price of 

 these guns to be twenty-five cents a pound. 



3d. For 20 of 10! inches' calibre, to weigh say 27,000 pounds, and carry a rifled ball of 

 300 pounds ; to be hooped like the preceding ; the hoops [if desired] to be carried over the whole 

 length of the gun. The price of these also to be twenty-five cents a pound. 



The Government not to be bound to take any of the 100-pounders unless delivered within 

 eighteen months ; the 184-pounders, unless within twenty -seven months ; the 300-pounders, unless 

 within three years. But I should hope and expect to complete the order much within the above- 

 specified times. My works and workmen, shop, and materials, to be at all times open to the in- 

 spection of a Government officer. The guns to be subjected to such proofs as may be agreed 

 upon, and any question of the intent or understanding of the parties that may arise to be settled 

 by reference. 



My desire to obtain an order in the above form is not founded upon mere pecuniary interest, 

 but to obtain for myself a mechanical success, and at the same time to put the Government in 

 possession of the largest, strongest, and best possible gun in the shortest possible time. 



Drawings of the two proposed modifications of my gun are herewith presented. They may 

 be changed in any of their details to meet the wishes of the Department, if they do not interfere 

 with the essential principle on which the improvement is founded. 



Daniel Treadwell. 



These propositions were referred to General Eipley of the Ordnance Department 

 who made the following report. 



Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of Wi 



Ordnance Office, Washington, May 21, 1862. 



7 .. 7 ^ 



Sir, — I have examined the propositions submitted by Mr. Treadwell, which you referred to 

 this office, and now report, that the methods invented by Mr. Treadwell for the manufacture 

 of cannon of large calibre were published by him several years since. His methods as now pro- 

 posed may be briefly stated to consist in making the initial tube, which forms the bore and breech 



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